


Make Your Choice

by EtherealNyx



Series: Assorted Pokeverse Drabbles [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Childhood Friends, Cute Kids, Gen, I'm just getting back into my stride don't mind me, M/M, Pining, Secret Crush, just a writing warmup!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:41:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22320469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EtherealNyx/pseuds/EtherealNyx
Summary: What better to bring people together than the biggest event in all of Galar?In which three kids sit down and watch some battles. Nothing more, nothing less.
Relationships: Hop & Masaru | Victor, Hop & Yuuri | Gloria, Hop/Masaru | Victor, Masaru | Victor & Yuuri | Gloria
Series: Assorted Pokeverse Drabbles [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1498742
Comments: 6
Kudos: 37





	Make Your Choice

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, hey! It's been a while!
> 
> I'm still pretty absorbed in other projects right now, unfortunately. Still, I've been wanting to write more Pokémon fics set in Galar and today presented a great opportunity to do so! I don't usually share my warmups, but I think this one is decent enough!!! I hope you'll enjoy! As always, notes will be left at the end.

“It’s gonna be Nessa.”

“Hm?” Victor idly turned his head, still busy with his mouthful of popcorn. “What?”

“I’m calling it now! Nessa’s gonna wipe the floor with Kabu! I guarantee it!” Perched on the side of their couch, Gloria resembled a crazed Hawlucha more than anything else in the world at that moment. He couldn’t help but smile indulgently at his cousin; she was the battler of the family after all.

A loud scoff took him aback, though she only reacted with a sneer. “Type advantage isn’t everything, Yoshida!” Hop sang. “Kabu’s been working super hard to give a flashy performance, so don’t just count him out like that! I thought you stanned him or something.”

Gloria crossed her arms in a clear show of defensiveness. “No way! He’s old and crusty! Everyone knows Piers is where it’s at!”

_ “Piers?!?  _ But… But… Raihan?!?”

On the surface, it looked like a casual display of bickering between friends, but Victor knew better. If all went according to plan, this would be their last time watching the Championships together.

He knew his cousin well. Only 12 and already the star of her academy, there was no way she’d be missing out on her chance to participate once she finally became a teenager. Even with her fiery temperament, or probably because of it, sponsors would be lining up to eat out of the palm of her hand.

And Hop? Sweet, lovable Hop? He’d be right behind her.

They’d be showing the entirety of Galar just what they were capable of. Deep down, he had always known that would happen. They were too brilliant to keep to himself. Hop and Gloria would become stars… and he’d still be here, in Postwick, hoping for a visit.

_ At least, for the time being, we have tonight.  _ Victor beamed at them, confident in the fact that they were too distracted to pick up on his fondness. With every passing year, both his familial and romantic love grew to newer heights. What could he say? He had always been, first and foremost, a sap.

“Hey! Vic!” Hop whipped around, unknowingly snapping him out of his usual crush-induced trance before it could reach its peak. “Quick! Piers or Raihan?”

He gawked at the pair, baffled. “Eh? Y-You’re asking  _ me?  _ Why?”

“We need a tiebreaker, duh! It’s a simple question, dude! Piers or Raihan?” Gloria huffed.

“Um…” Victor ducked his head, uncomfortably aware of the blush threatening to take up permanent residence on his face. “Raihan? I think?”  _ That’s who Hop said, right? _ _   
  
_

Naturally, she wasn’t pleased by this answer. “Bah! You’re  _ so  _ biased! We should have asked Baba!” 

“He’s not biased! Vic just has good taste!” Their best friend argued, oblivious to his true reasoning. “Besides, is  _ your _ idol the one and only Rival of the unbeatable Champion? I didn’t think so!”

She leaned back, nonchalant. “You’re just jealous because my idol makes good music, doesn’t use Dynamax,  _ and  _ has a strong social media following.” 

“Am not!” Hop laughed, shoving at her leg. “Raihan’s a legend! When I beat him, I’ll be one step closer to being one too!”

Legendary trainers. They were the people to beat, the people to aspire to be, the people who tales were made for. Nowadays, Hop often babbled about them and how he’d be sure to put the foundations in place for his legacy now while he was still young. If anyone could become one, he knew his best friend would find a way. Being famous already ought to help him along, even though it was for all the wrong reasons.

Really, Victor thought both of them were amazing. No matter what life threw at them, they bounced back and never gave up. Every Galarian with sense admired some sort of Gym Leader, but he personally believed they possessed all the traits people praised in those people to begin with. Was it weird to look up to your crush and cousin? He didn’t know. He didn’t know a lot of things, actually. 

Like what Gloria and Hop were staring at him for. “What? What is it?” He flinched, self-conscious. 

“You’re really getting into the fight, huh, mate? We’ve been trying to get your attention forever!” His best friend teased with a chuckle. “Whatcha thinking over there, hm?”

“I... I…” Victor cast about for something to say. “Er, Kabu’s Ninetales must have a really good groomer… I’d love to talk to them!”

“If you beat him one day,” Gloria began, clearly joking if her smile was anything to go by, “you could totally make him introduce you!”

Hop made a truly unusual expression; if he didn’t know any better, Victor would have called it ‘contemplative’. “Hm… Yeah, you could probably do that. I think he’d go along with it.”

“Very funny.”  _ Like that will ever happen. Gym Leaders don’t fight washed up Breeder prodigies.  _

One day, he’d be watching the people in the room with him fight these people on TV. All he could do was try and get used to it before then.

Before he could have a go at picturing it, Munchkin headbutted his knee. Victor reluctantly relinquished all of the remaining kernels to the ravenous beast their Baba called a pet. “You’re so silly.” He whispered to the Munchlax. 

“What was that?” Gloria raised an eyebrow.

“Nothing…” He pulled a face. “Let’s keep watching.”

In the end, Nessa beat Kabu as his cousin said she would. She had an eye for these things.  _ Guess Hop still has a ways to go. But I’ll be cheering him on the entire time! _

“So!” Victor’s cousin smirked, leaning forward. “Milo or Piers?”   
  


The two boys looked at each other. “Well…” 

Yes, they all had progress to make, and things were sure to change soon, but for now, making these silly guesses was enough.

* * *

  
  


_ “This year’s bout was tough, but I’m pleased as punch to see how far all my challengers and Gym Leaders came! With everyone’s help, we always make these matches a champion time! Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you bright and early with an exhibition match tomorrow!” _

_ \- Champion Leon’s end-of-match speech after his most recent victory _

**Author's Note:**

> \- for those who haven't read my stuff before, Victor and Gloria are the Yoshidas, a mixed Japanese/Scottish (by our standards. Kantonese/Galarian by theirs) cousin pair. Victor is technically a Pokémon Breeder, though he dropped out of the program he was in and mostly only gets the chance to care for the Wooloo, Munchlax, and Budew he's familiar with. Meanwhile, Gloria's a prominent up and coming Trainer!!!
> 
> \- their Baba is their grandmother. no 'Mum' for them
> 
> \- you need to be 13 to enter the challenge in this fic's universe 
> 
> \- Hop, their best friend, is a former coordinator who spectacularly combusted and quit, hence the line about being famous for all the wrong reasons. He's determined to rise above his old self and become a shining star!!!
> 
> \- Munchkin is the Yoshida family Munchlax who likes to eat a lot
> 
> \- Gloria likes Piers bc he's 'anti-establishment'. Hop just thinks Piers is a little mean 'cause he doesn't like being teased by Leon's Gym Leaders sdojdsdo 
> 
> \- Victor is, very obviously, infatuated with Hop, but I think I can push it further next time. this is just a warmup!!!
> 
> I think that's it!!! thanks for reading. my Tumblr's bi-hop and my Twitter's etherealnyx , so please feel free to say hi!!! I'd love to chat about the games and expansion pass :D hope to see y'all again soon


End file.
